Quick answer: A good Japanese pantry starts with three things: miso for soups and marinades, sesame paste for dressings and dipping sauces, and a few finishing touches such as wasabi, seven-spice and chilli oil. Add tempura flour and frozen udon or soba, and you can make a restaurant-style Japanese dinner at home on a weeknight.
You don't need a long shopping list to cook Japanese food well at home. A handful of good-quality staples does most of the work. This guide covers the essentials worth keeping, what each one is for, and simple ways to use them.
1. Miso: the backbone of the Japanese kitchen
Miso is fermented soybean paste. Different styles vary in colour, saltiness and sweetness, so it helps to know which one to reach for.
- Saikyo Shiro Miso: a Kyoto-style white miso with a light colour, gentle sweetness and smooth texture. It's milder and less salty than darker miso. This is the one for miso-marinated fish or chicken.
- Mikochan Shiro Miso: a mild, mellow white miso for everyday miso soup, dressings and light sauces.
- Kaneko Moromi Miso: a thick, chunky miso with deep umami. It's traditionally served as a condiment with steamed rice, vegetables or grilled meat. A little goes a long way.
How to use miso
- Miso soup: heat your stock with tofu or vegetables, then turn the heat down and whisk in the miso just before serving. Avoid boiling the soup after the miso goes in, as this dulls the aroma.
- Miso-marinated fish (saikyo-yaki): spread a thin layer of Saikyo miso over fish fillets such as cod or salmon, cover and refrigerate overnight. Wipe off the excess miso before grilling. Watch it closely, as miso browns quickly.
- Moromi with vegetables: serve a small dish of moromi miso with chilled cucumber sticks as a simple starter.
Storage: refrigerate miso after opening.
2. Sesame paste: creamy, nutty and endlessly useful
Japanese sesame paste (atari goma) is made from finely ground roasted sesame seeds. It's smoother and more aromatic than most sesame pastes.
- White sesame paste is mellow and slightly sweet. Use it for goma dressing, sesame noodles, goma-ae (vegetables dressed in sesame) and dipping sauces.
- Black sesame paste has a deeper, more intense flavour. It works in both savoury dishes and desserts.
Easy goma dressing
Whisk white sesame paste with soy sauce, rice vinegar and a little sugar, then loosen with water until it pours. Use it on salads, blanched spinach or cold noodles. It also makes an excellent dipping sauce for shabu-shabu and steamboat.
Tip: stir the paste well before using, as the oil naturally separates. Refrigerate after opening.
3. Heat and aroma: wasabi, seven-spice and chilli oil
- House Oroshi Nama Wasabi has the bright aroma of freshly grated wasabi in a handy tube. Serve it with sashimi, sushi, cold soba and grilled meats.
- S&B Japanese seven-spice blend combines chilli, citrus peel, sesame and spices. Sprinkle it over udon, soba, yakitori or rice bowls.
- S&B Rayu chilli oil has gentle heat and sesame fragrance. Add a few drops to gyoza dipping sauce, ramen or fried rice.
4. Finishing touches
- Aji Shio seasoned salt: a clean, balanced seasoning for grilled meat and seafood, eggs, tempura and vegetables.
- Mentaiko mayonnaise: creamy mayonnaise blended with pollock roe. Drizzle it over rice bowls, sushi rolls, grilled chicken or seafood, or use it as a dip.
5. Tempura at home
Nisshin Tempura Ko makes light, crisp tempura easy. The secrets are simple:
- Use ice-cold water and mix the batter only lightly. A few lumps are fine; overmixing makes it heavy.
- Pat ingredients dry before dipping. Prawns, sweet potato, pumpkin, mushrooms and shiso all work well.
- Fry in small batches in hot oil until pale golden and crisp, then drain on a rack.
- Serve straight away with a pinch of Aji Shio or a dipping sauce.
6. Noodles from the freezer
- Udon: thick and chewy. Serve in hot broth topped with spring onion, egg or tempura, finished with seven-spice.
- Soba: lovely served cold with dipping sauce, spring onion and wasabi, especially on a warm Singapore evening.
- Yakisoba: stir-fry with cabbage, onion and carrot for a quick, satisfying meal.
Keep frozen noodles in the freezer and don't refreeze once thawed.
7. A Japanese dinner from your pantry
Put it all together for an easy dinner for four:
- Starter: chilled cucumber with moromi miso, and spinach goma-ae.
- Main: Saikyo miso-marinated fish, with prawn and vegetable tempura.
- Noodles: cold soba with wasabi, or hot udon with seven-spice.
- Side: sliced tamago (Japanese sweet omelette).
- Dessert: matcha ice cream or black sesame ice cream.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between white miso and moromi miso?
White miso (shiro miso) is smooth, light and mildly sweet, and is used in soups, marinades and dressings. Moromi miso is thick and chunky with a deeper, richer flavour, and is usually served as a condiment with rice or vegetables.
How should I store miso and sesame paste?
Keep them in a cool, dry place before opening, and refrigerate after opening. Stir sesame paste well before each use, as the oil separates naturally.
What is Japanese seven-spice used for?
Japanese seven-spice is a blend of chilli, citrus peel, sesame and other spices. Sprinkle it over noodles, grilled meats, rice bowls and soups for warmth and aroma.
How do I make tempura crisp at home?
Use ice-cold water, mix the batter lightly, pat ingredients dry, and fry in small batches so the oil stays hot. Drain on a rack rather than paper so the underside stays crisp.
Which miso is best for beginners?
Start with a white miso such as Saikyo or Mikochan. Both are milder and less salty than darker miso, and work in everything from miso soup to marinades.
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